Absorbent articles for absorption of body fluids are available in a number of different designs. For absorption of urine and excrement, use is generally made of diapers or incontinence guards. There are other types of absorbent articles, such as feminine hygiene products and incontinence guards. These products typically include a top sheet facing the body of the user, a back sheet facing the garment of a user, and an absorbent layer sandwiched between the inner, top sheet and outer, back sheet.
With prior art hygiene products, the absorbent core has been made of bulky fluff pulp/SAP material by mat forming. However, a drawback to these types of cores is a lack of integrity. As such, there has been a movement towards the use of thinner, higher SAP content cores. In some situations, the typical mat formed absorbent cores are totally replaced by highly compressed air laid structures. For example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0045296 describes an airlaid composite core with pulp, superabsorbent and bicomponent binder fibers.
However, one drawback to using airlaids in moderate to heavy absorbency incontinence pads is that these pads tend to be very stiff when the basis weight is increased and the thickness is decreased. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0243084 discloses an absorbent product with folding lines made of point shaped compressions. However, the point shaped compressions do not reduce the bending resistance sufficiently when a stiff airlaid composite core is used.
In addition, to solve the issue of stiffness and bunching in the prior art, absorbent cores have been made in an hour glass shape to help it better conform. A drawback to this design is that the edges of the absorbent core must be cut away, thereby wasting core material.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an absorbent product having a resilient composite core which is less stiff and conforms better to the body of the user, and does not waste core material.